Wire drawing method and lubricant therefor



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE DRAWING METHOD AND LUBRICANT THEREFOR Silas A. Braley, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. Application July 30, 1936, Serial No. 93,412

6 Claims. This invention relates to the manufacture of rods and wires by the method which involves the drawing of bars or rods through dies in order to reduce the same to a desired diameter, the invention being concerned particularly with the coating and lubrication of the bar stock before it is drawn through the dies, so as to efiect proper lubrication and finish on the drawn material or article.

One object of my invention is to provide, for bar's, rods and like material, an adherent coating and lubricant of such nature that the material can readily be drawn or worked in forming dies, to produce rivets, bolts,'etc., without danger of clogging the dies, and with a. finish of such character that a flux coating can thereafter be applied properly in those cases where the drawn material is to be used as welding rods, for example.

Heretofore certain wire drawing methods involved the application of a coat of lime to the rod to be drawn, it being contemplated that some of the limewould adhere to the drawn wire and produce a finish coatingthat would to some extent protect the surface of the drawn wire. However, when lime alone is employed, without any additional lubricant, the coating will be hard and brittle, and will peel ofi, and there will not be the desired smooth, hard-surfaced finish on the drawn material.

In some irztances, oils or greases including stearates are employed as lubricants for the lime-coated rods, but in many cases, this resulted quently worked, or would prevent the proper adherence of a flux coating when the drawn'material was made up into the form of welding rods.

In order to produce a wire or drawn rod having a desired hard smooth finish of suflicient dryness, I have found that good results are secured in the drawing of lime-coated rods' by the use of aluminum palmitate as a lubricant. The aluminum palmitate is applied to the lime-coated rods before they enter the drawing dies, and because it is of a somewhat drier nature than oils and greases heretofore employed, there is no objectionable viscous or greasy coating on the drawn material. The lime employed serves to produce the desired hard surfaced finish on the material.

12% to 18% aluminum oxide (A1203). In the majority of instances, I have employed an aluminum palmitate containing 16%% of aluminum oxide.

Where the rod to be drawn is coated but lightly with lime, I mix some lime with the aluminum palmitate in proportions of one part lime to three parts: palmitate. The amount of lime, if any, mixed with the aluminum palmitate will be dependent upon the finish desired on the completed rod, and also upon the thickness of the lime coating on the rod.

In preparing rods-to be drawn, they must, of course, be thoroughly cleaned, and may then be iven'a lightlime co ating by dipping them in a low lime dip, or be given a heavier lime coating by dipping them in a thicker lime mixture, or by dipping them a number of times. Then they are dried and the coating of aluminum palmitate, or a mixture of the palmitate and lime, is applied previous to drawing the rods through dies.

I claim as my invention:

1. The art of making wire, rods and the like, which comprises coating the stock with lime, and then drawing the stock through a suitable die, with a lubricant comprising aluminum palmitate.

2. The art of making wire, rods and the like, which comprises coating the stock with lime, and then drawing the stock through a suitable die, with a lubricant comprising aluminum palmitate a'nd lime.

3..I'he art of making wire, rods and the like, which comprises coating the stock with lime, and then drawing the stock through a suitable die, with a lubricant comprising. aluminum palmitate which contains from 12% to 18% of aluminum oxide.

which comprises coating the stock with lime, and then drawing the stock through a suitable die, with a lubricant comprising 1 part lime and 3 parts aluminum palmitate. 5. A lubricant for metal-working dies, comprising aluminum palmitate and lime.

6. A lubricant for metal-working dies, comprising 3 parts aluminum palmitate and 1 part lime.

SILAS A. BRALEY. 

